Scouting Report: Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns

Robert Allen

09/12/2012

The real challenge for Oklahoma State is to get better as the effort at Arizona was not acceptable. This is an opponent scouting report, but the attention needs to be on the Cowboys. The defense is very important as this crew gave up points and yards as fast or faster than they did against good offensive opponents last season without gaining the turnovers that were so important last season.

The biggest concerns would be pass rush and play up front if the expected depth is not there. I have no idea why the trio of defensive tackles Davidell Collins, Anthony Rogers and Christian Littlehead did not eat up more snaps against Arizona, and why starters Calvin Barnett and James Castleman played so many of the 90 defensive snaps in the contest.

It's understandable that you want your best players to play more, but the fresh legs theory of a rotation has validity. The ends had just three players ready to go, and Cooper Bassett played each of the end positons and inside in the three-man package the Cowboys use.

According to coaches, sacks were left on the table and throughout the third and fourth quarters Arizona became more effective at running the football.

The linebackers and safeties struggled with the inside receivers for Arizona. Checking the Big 12, Kansas State, TCU, West Virginia, Baylor and others will present a challenge of good inside receivers out of a spread formation.

On offense, the receivers are getting an ear-full this week, and should. It is absolutely critical that they step up and catch the football. OSU has a real weapon and talent in young Wes Lunt and the Cowboys need to maximize that weapon.

The penalties have to be addressed. You can say it was one referee (Shawn Hochuli) with a little bit of a Napoleon complex. Make no mistake, Hochuli was mad about the Mike Gundy challenge and of the penalties, four of the holding calls were legit. That means two were not as Kye Staley and Jonathan Rush pancaked their guys legally.

Two of the Calvin Barnett penalties were legit, but the unneccessary roughness, the second penalty on the double call in the first quarter was iffy. Both players were tangled and both were unhappy. The new halo rule violation was a bad call, as was the call on Brodrick Brown.

The penalties did not beat the Cowboys, but they did not help a comeback. They have to be cleaned up.

Cajuns Offense

Now for Louisiana. On offense, these guys run a lot of formations. They are coached up well and don't show many alignment errors and they are fundamentally sound.

The run game features a bruiser with some burst in 6-1, 220-pound Alonzo Harris. He is averaging almost five yards a carry. The offense is zone-read based, but they also run powers, leads, and counters for the running back and the quarterback.

Head coach Mark Hudspeth claims his receivers may be his most talented position group but it hasn't shown as quarterback Blaine Gautier is 10-of-24 for 170 yards. Backup Terrance Broadway, who was called on late in the first quarter against Troy last week, is 16-of-25 for 204 yards.

OSU fans don't want the passing game heating up on Saturday. With fans and media there may be a little QB controversy after Broadways's performance at Troy. Hudspeth is putting the kabosh to that in a hurry.

"This is still Blaine's team," Hudspeth said Monday."Blaine's our starting quarterback. If we need Terrance again, I have no doubt that he'll be available and be ready — and there might be some situations through the game that arise as to where we want to get him on the field and get him a few snaps. But Blaine's our starting quarterback."

Hudspeth prefers to feel good about the fact that his team won a critical conference game on the road for the second season in a row with a backup quarterback.

For the second week in a row the Cowboys will see a three-man front from their opponent on defense. The Cajuns have seven new starters on defense this season and they don't have that big-time cover corner like they had last season. A bonus may be the ejection last week of 6-3, 330-pound nose tackle Justin Hamilton, who if the appeal is upheld will also miss the game at OSU on Saturday.

Brett Baer is really good, and is the kicker and punter for ULL. He is the Cajuns' equivalent of Quinn Sharp and is a candidate for the Groza and Guy Awards. Cowboys fans do not want to see this come down to a battle of the kickers.